News

EPA Head Praises Contribution Of Landscape Architects

Browner Calls for Passing of Better America Bonds Initiative

1999-09-24

Washington, D.C. - Praising the contributions of landscape architects over the past century, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) head Carol M. Browner, asked them to work actively in supporting the passage of the administration’s proposed Better America Bonds. This initiative ultimately would lead to a huge number of local projects and positively affect many in the green industry.

Speaking on September 14, 1999, at the 1999 American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Annual Meeting and EXPO in Boston, Browner said, “As part of the livability agenda, Vice President Gore announced a series of new tools to help communities revitalize-be they suburbs or urban centers. In my opinion the most important of these tools is Better America Bonds. [We are] calling on Congress to create a new program to allow local communities to buy, preserve and restore green spaces.”

Better America Bonds is a proposed $100 million program that offers a creative way for states and communities to preserve open space, create parks, clean up brownfields and improve water quality. Local communities can work together in partnerships with land trust groups, environmentalists, business leaders and landscape architects to propose a creative and innovative solution to their community’s development challenges. In terms of likely impact on firms’ projects and the nation’s landscape, the bond program could rival the latest transportation bill, TEA-21.

“We’re very excited about the opportunities for making a difference that this initiative could offer. Landscape architects have long been at the forefront of the livability issue and we will continue to do all we can to improve Americans’ quality of life,” said ASLA Executive Vice President Pete Kirsch.

Appointed by President Clinton in January 1993, Browner is now the longest-serving administrator in the history of the EPA. Since arriving at the EPA, Browner has demonstrated a strong commitment to the protection of the environment and public health. When the 104th Congress tried to enact the most extensive rollback of environmental and public health protections in a quarter of a century, Browner led the administration's successful fight to defeat the effort and preserve the nation's commitment to our health, our air, our water, our communities, and our children’s future.

The American Society of Landscape Architects, founded in 1899, represents more than 13,000 members nationwide. Landscape architecture is a comprehensive discipline of land analysis, planning, design, management, preservation and rehabilitation. Typical projects include site design and planning, town and urban planning, regional planning, preparation of environmental impact plans, garden design, historic preservation, and parks/recreation design and planning. Landscape architects hold undergraduate or graduate degrees. They are licensed to practice in 46 states and are required to pass a rigorous national three-day examination.